Let's Big Up Barnes

[Brighton Mod]

both!

Thank you, but what we want is to be conceding less and scoring more, so by definition its not as good as it could be.

 

[The Large One]

No not at all, I didn't miss any of the passing the ball across the back four for a quarter of the game, or the 'lets give the ball to Vicente at all costs strategy, slow build up identified by the opposition so easily, hence the endless bore draws, or the not coming back after being behind ability. Passing the ball and retaining possession is fine, if it is done quickly and with a forward direction. No, it hasn't passed me by and I am not a purist, a contemporary intellectual on football, but I watched that strategy unfold on us in the later end of last season.

Unfold? We played our best football at the end of last season.

BTW the emboldened bit is fairly evident.

 

[Baldseagull]

Do Ulloa and CMS play a similar game?

You would be making a mistake to bash Barnes' goal to game ratio at the Albion by comparison to CMS, Barnes is better.

 

[Brighton Mod]

A yardstick you're viewing through rose-tinted Foster Grants from back in 1977.

To say Ward stayed on his feet as often as he could is quite funny. He still goes down easily now - though that's probably more to do with the state of his knees.

Ward's record as a centre-forward in his first to seasons in this division is 24 goals in 66 games.
Barnes' records in this division in the first two season as an occasional centre-forward, occasional wide-midfielder is 19 goals in 77 games.

Not as good as Ward's of course, but if Barnes' record is only mediocre, Ward's isn't pulling up too many trees either.

Well lets compare Ashley to Fred Binney, Gary Nelson, Michael Robinson, Ken Beamish, Lamie Robertson, Malcolm Posket and see what coloured glasses I am wearing then. I need to reiterate, that I have no problem with Ashley Barnes, I just fail to understand why some think he is so good, when his record, particularly in the Championship does not support this.

 

[Brighton Mod]

You would be making a mistake to bash Barnes' goal to game ratio at the Albion by comparison to CMS, Barnes is better.

Need to refine it to the Championship, CMS 11 last year in half a season, Barnes needs to score some in a hurry.

 

[Brighton Mod]

Unfold? We played our best football at the end of last season.

BTW the emboldened bit is fairly evident.

With six games to go last season, automatic promotion was in our hands and we let it go, as for the play offs, hardly our best performances.

 

[Baldseagull]

Need to refine it to the Championship, CMS 11 last year in half a season, Barnes needs to score some in a hurry.

Most would agree though we have not played to CMS strengths and he would have scored more if we had, I think the same could be said for Barnes if you just want goals out of him.

 

[Brighton Mod]

Most would agree though we have not played to CMS strengths and he would have scored more if we had, I think the same could be said for Barnes if you just want goals out of him.

Well, we do want him to score more and any other player in the team for that matter, his goal against Arsenal was fantastic last year but his disciplinary record let him down, when it really counted. I have no issue with him, he's just not what some are making out on here. Yes, play him with Ulloa or CMs or even both because that's when he is at his best, I just don't think he is the man to lead us but a supporting player who, when the pressure is not on him can score more.

 

[Zen Frenzy]

Why such scorn?

You're comparing him to arguably our best-ever striker, rather than the dozens? hundreds? of others who have played.

Hundreds, possibly thousands of players have played for Brighton down the years, and only 23 have scored more.

This. For too many people the default position is that Barnes should be torn apart by horses. There's a mad woman who sits behind us in the Lower West who berates him in shrill tones every time he touches the ball without it resulting in a spectacular outcome. This guy is visibly improving, putting in the effort and remains a great return on capital with potential for more to come.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Yes that's fine, the conversation has moved away from Barnes however. I am not anti Barnes by any means, I just struggle with the way he is held up in such high esteem for scoring 2 goals in 16 games. If he is great then Crofts must be out of this world with his five.

Maybe the praise Barnes is getting is a reaction against with the level Of criticism he gets which perhaps is uunwarranted

 

[Finchley Seagull]

With six games to go last season, automatic promotion was in our hands and we let it go, as for the play offs, hardly our best performances.

We won 4 and drew 2 of the last 6 games. How did we let automatic promotion go?

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Well lets compare Ashley to Fred Binney, Gary Nelson, Michael Robinson, Ken Beamish, Lamie Robertson, Malcolm Posket and see what coloured glasses I am wearing then. I need to reiterate, that I have no problem with Ashley Barnes, I just fail to understand why some think he is so good, when his record, particularly in the Championship does not support this.

For someone who has no problem with Barnes, you're certainly posting a lot of criticism on a thread designed to praise him.

 

[LamieRobertson]

We won 4 and drew 2 of the last 6 games. How did we let automatic promotion go?

Should have won all six?

 

[Brighton Mod]

For someone who has no problem with Barnes, you're certainly posting a lot of criticism on a thread designed to praise him.

Just trying to provide some balance. if you read my posts i'm not actually criticising him, but the level of adulation he gets from some on here, which, I feel is unwarranted. Any way I was at a loose end this morning so it provided some entertainment.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Just trying to provide some balance. if you read my posts i'm not actually criticising him, but the level of adulation he gets from some on here, which, I feel is unwarranted. Any way I was at a loose end this morning so it provided some entertainment.

I can't see any adulation of Barnes. I've seen appreciation and admiration which are different.

 

[symyjym]

I can't see any adulation of Barnes. I've seen appreciation and admiration which are different.

Agree, and respect.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Just trying to provide some balance. if you read my posts i'm not actually criticising him, but the level of adulation he gets from some on here, which, I feel is unwarranted. Any way I was at a loose end this morning so it provided some entertainment.

I'm pleased you had some entertainment, but judging by some of your comments I'm still a little hazy about why you watch the Albion, or indeed if?

 

[The Large One]

Well lets compare Ashley to Fred Binney, Gary Nelson, Michael Robinson, Ken Beamish, Lamie Robertson, Malcolm Posket and see what coloured glasses I am wearing then. I need to reiterate, that I have no problem with Ashley Barnes, I just fail to understand why some think he is so good, when his record, particularly in the Championship does not support this.

For someone who doesn't have a problem with him, you are on his case. It's not a case of thinking he's that great - it's a case of not feeling you need to justify his perceived shortcomings. In comparison to those you list, he is in touch with most of them.

Malcolm Poskett - 10 goals in 29 apps (0.35 goals per game)
Lammie Robertson - 4 goals in 15 apps (0.26 goals per game)
Nelson - 25 goals in 103 apps (0.24 goals per game)
Ken Beamish - 9 goals in 38 apps. (0.23 goals per game)
Ashley Barnes 21 goals in 90 apps (0.23 goals per game)

Only Michael Robinson fares better in your list - 37 goals in 113 apps - all in the top division.

Fred Binney didn't play in Div 2.

 

[The Large One]

With six games to go last season, automatic promotion was in our hands and we let it go, as for the play offs, hardly our best performances.

With six games to go, we were 10 points off automatic promotion, and finished it four points off.

We won four, drew two, scoring 13 goals and conceding three (and one of those three was Hammond).

If you don't mind me saying, your memory is shocking.

 

[Brighton Mod]

I'm pleased you had some entertainment, but judging by some of your comments I'm still a little hazy about why you watch the Albion, or indeed if?

Your hazy because I have a different opinion? I have spent a lifetime watching the Albion and if I have learned one thing about football fans, its about opinions. So because my opinion on here is different from yours you question why I watch the Albion, don't take it too seriously its only an opinion, by tomorrow we will all have moved on.